Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids enhance activation of constitutive and induced forms of enzymes of endoplasmic reticulum responsible for drug and carcinogen metabolism. The current report demonstrates that diets containing 10% or 20% refined menhaden fish oil that contains high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids also supports these enzymes in a manner similar to that of oils that contain high concentrations of the omega-6 fatty acid linoleate. Cytosolic glutathione S-transferase was unaffected by dietary menhaden oil. However, ingestion of increasing concentrations of menhaden oil increased hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 content and the apparent Vmax for ethylmorphine N-demethylase, N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) N-demethylase, and benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] hydroxylase. Feeding menhaden oil increased the Km for ethylmorphine N-demethylase, and decreased Km's for DMN N-demethylase and B(a)P hydroxylase. Phenobarbital induced glutathione S-transferase activity only in rats fed 10% or 20% menhaden oil. Ethylmorphine N-demethylase was induced by only 25% by phenobarbital in rats refed the fat-free diet compared to 128% in rats refed the 20% menhaden oil. In contrast, DMN N-demethylase was induced only in rats fed the fat-free diet. B(a)P hydroxylase was induced in all rats regardless of the level of dietary fat. The specific activity of cytochrome P-450 for the metabolism of DMN and B(a)P, however, was significantly reduced in menhaden oil-fed animals by phenobarbital. This coupled with the increased Km for these reactions may have significant effects on the in vivo activation of these carcinogens in animals fed menhaden oil and subjected to dietary inducers of the mixed function oxidases.